A. It is quoted more often and earlier by the early church fathers than any other of the writings of Paul which shows
its importance and usefulness.

B. In the Muratorian Fragment, which was a list of canonical books from Rome (A.D. 180-200), it is listed
as the first of Paul's writings which also shows its importance.

C. Paul makes a distinction in this practical letter between his personal opinions and the Lord's commands. However,
this is based on his knowledge of Jesus' teachings on any given subject. If he could he would pass on Jesus' words.

If he did not know what Jesus said on a subject, he gave his opinion. He believed his opinions were also inspired
and authoritative (cf. 1 Cor. 7:25, 40).

D. Paul's guiding paradoxical principle for church fellowship was the freedom of individual
believers vs. their commensurate corporate responsibility which is based not on law, but on love. The health and growth of the
whole church supercedes any personal preference or privilege (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7).

E. This letter (along with 2 Corinthians) gives us an early look into the NT church, its structure, methods,
and message. However, it must also be remembered that this church was a problematic, non-typical, Pauline congregation.

II. THE CITY OF CORINTH

A. Winter shipping lanes around the southern most point of Greece (i.e., , Cape Malea) were very dangerous. Therefore, a land route of the shortest possible length was crucial. The geographical location of Corinth on the four-mile isthmus between the Gulf of Corinth (i.e., Ionian Sea) and the Saronic Gulf (i.e., Aegean Sea) made the city a major commercial shipping, trading (specializing in types of pottery and a special type of brass), and military center. In Paul's day this was literally where the cultures of the East and West met.

B. Corinth was also a major cultural center of the Greco-Roman world because it hosted the bi-annual Isthmian Games which began in 581 B.C. (at the Temple of Poseidon). Only the Olympic Games in Athens, every four years, rivaled them in size and importance (Thucydides, Hist. 1.13.5).

C. In 146 B.C. Corinth was involved in a revolt (i.e., , the Achaean League) against Rome and was destroyed
by the Roman General Lucius Mummius and the Greek population dispersed into slavery. Because of its economical and military importance it was
rebuilt in either 46 or 48 B.C. by Julius Caesar. It became a Roman colony where Roman soldiers retired. It was a mimic of Rome
in architecture and culture and was the administrative center of the Roman (i.e., Senatorial) province of Achaia in 27 B.C. It became
an Imperial Province in A.D. 15.

D. The acropolis of Old Corinth, rising more than 1880 feet above the plain, was the site of the temple to Aphrodite. To
this temple were attached 1,000 prostitutes (Strabo, Geography, 8.6.20-22). To be called "a Corinthian" (i.e., Korinthiazesthai,
coined by Aristophanes [450-385 B.C..]) was synonymous to loose, riotous living. This temple, as most of the city, was
destroyed in an earthquake about 150 years before Paul arrived, as it was again in A.D.. 77. It is uncertain if the fertility
cult continued in Paul's day. Since the Romans, in 146 B.C., destroyed the city and killed or enslaved all of its citizens,
the Greek flavor of the city was superseded by its Roman colonial status (Pausanias, II.3.7). This Roman cultural context instead of
Greek culture, makes a significant difference in interpreting 1 Corinthians.

E. A book that has been very helpful to me in trying to understand the Corinthian letters is Bruce W. Winter, After Paul Left
Corinth: The Influence of Secular Ethics and Social Change.

III. THE AUTHOR

A. It was to this city that Paul the Apostle came on his second missionary journey; the account is found in Acts 18:1-21.
Through a vision Jesus revealed to Paul that many would believe and that there would be no successful opposition to his ministry (cf. Acts 18:9-10).

B. Paul's apparent missionary strategy was to plant a church in the major cities of his day, knowing that converted
visitors, traveling salesmen, and sailors would spread the gospel as they went. It was up to the local church to take responsibility for
the evangelism and discipleship of their area (i.e., Matt. 28:16-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8).

C. Paul found Aquila and Priscilla, also believing Jewish tent-makers or leather workers, in Corinth. They were forced out of Rome in a.d. 49 by Claudius' edict (Orosius, Hist. 7:6:15-16) against any Jewish rites or rituals (cf. Acts 18:2). Paul had come to Corinth alone. Both Silas and Timothy were on assignments in Macedonia (cf. Acts 18:5). He was very discouraged (cf. Acts 18:9-19; 1 Cor. 2:3). However, he persevered and stayed in Corinth eighteen months (cf. Acts 18:11).

D. Paul's authorship of this book is attested to by Clement of Rome, who wrote a letter to Corinth in A.D. 95/96
(I Clement 37:5; 47:1-3; 49:5). Pauline authorship of this letter has never been doubted, even by modern critical scholarship.

IV. THE DATE

A. The date of Paul's visit to Corinth has been ascertained by an inscription of the Emperor Claudius found at Delphi, which dates
the proconsulship of Gallio as beginning in July A.D. 51 through July, 52 (cf. Acts 18:12-17), which would make the date of Paul's
arrival about A.D. 49-50.

B. The date of Paul's letter would then be sometime in the mid-50's. He wrote it from Ephesus where he ministered between two years
(cf. Acts 19:10) and three years (cf. Acts 20:31).

A. The recipient of this letter was a fledgling church made up mostly of Gentiles. The population of Corinth was racially and culturally mixed. We know from archaeology and Scripture (cf. Acts 18:4-8) that there was a synagogue in Corinth.

B. Roman soldiers were retired there after they completed twenty years of military service. Corinth was a free city, a Roman colony, and capital of the Roman province of Achaia.

C. The letter seems to reflect several groups in the church:

1. intellectual Greeks who were still very proud of their philosophical traditions and were trying to wed Christian revelation to these old customs and intellectual traditions

2. Roman patrons and the socially elite

3. a believing Jewish contingent made up mostly of "god-fearing" Gentiles, who attended the synagogue

4. a large number of converted slaves

VI. THE PURPOSE OF THE LETTER

A. Paul heard of the problems that had developed at Corinth from four sources

3. written questions from the church, resulting in chapters 1 Corinthians 7-16

B. The church had become factious, advocating different leaders: Paul, Apollos, Peter, and possibly a Christ party (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12). Not only was the church divided over leadership types, but also over several moral issues and the use of spiritual gifts. A main point of contention was Paul's Apostolic authority (especially 2 Corinthians)!

VII. PAUL'S CONTACTS WITH THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH — A TENTATIVE PROPOSAL

A. How many letters did Paul write to Corinth?

1. just two, I and 2 Corinthians

2. three, with one letter being lost

3. four, with two letters being lost

4. some modern scholars find parts of the two lost letters in 2 Corinthians

a. previous letter (1 Cor. 5:9) in 2 Cor. 6:14-17:1)

b. severe letter (2 Cor. 2:3-4,9; 7:8-12) in 2 Cor. 10-13)

5. five, with 2 Cor. 10-13 being the fifth letter, sent after Titus' report relating the further bad news

B. Theory #3 seems to fit best

1. previous letter, lost (1 Cor. 5:9)

2. 1 Corinthians

3. severe letter, lost (possibly part of which is recorded in 2 Cor. 2:1-11; 7:8-12)

a. 1 Cor. 5:9-11 seems to refer to a letter about an immoral situation in the church. This letter is unknown unless: (1) as some suppose, that 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1 is part of it or (2) that 2 Cor. 2:3,4,9 are epistolary aorists and refer to 2 Corinthians.

a.d. 56 (Spring)

b. Paul hears about problems in the church while he is in Ephesus from two sources: (1) Chloe's people, 1 Cor. 1:11 and (2) Stephanas, Forltunatus, and Achaicus, 1 Cor. 16:17. They apparently brought a letter from the Corinthian house churches containing questions

c. Paul made an emergency, painful visit to Corinth (not recorded in Acts, cf. 2 Cor. 2:1). It was not successful, but he vowed to return.

c. Paul wrote a severe letter (cf. 2 Cor. 2:3-4:9; 7:8-12) to the Corinthian house churches which was delivered by Titus (cf. 2 Cor. 2:13; 7:13-15). This letter is unknown, unless, as some suppose, part of it is in 2 Cor. 10-13.

d. He found Titus and heard that the church had responded to his leadership and he then wrote 2 Corinthians in great thanksgiving (cf. 7:11-16). It was delivered by Titus

a.d. 57-58 (Winter)

e. Paul's last recorded visit to Corinth seems to be referred to in Acts 20:2-3. Although it does not mention Corinth by name, it is assumed. He stayed there during the winter months.

e. The marked mood change between chapters 1-9 and 10-13 is explained by some scholars as more bad news (possibly the revitalization of old opponents and the addition of new opponents) from the Corinthian house churches after chapters 1-9 had been written (F. F. Bruce).

VIII. CONCLUSION

A. In 1 Corinthians we see Paul, a pastor, dealing with a problem church. In this letter and in Galatians, we see him apply universal gospel truth in different ways, based on the need of the church: freedom for the Galatian churches/limits to the Corinthian church.

B. This book is either a series of "cultural dinosaurs" or a wealth of principled truth applied to a particular historical/cultural setting. We must be careful not to confuse truth and cultural applications of that truth. For a good discussion of this very important hermeneutical issue see Gordon D. Fee and Douglas Stuart's How To Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp. 65-76 and Gordon Fee, Gospel and Spirit.

C. This book will push you to the limit of your spiritual ability to interpret the Bible. It will force you to rethink aspects of your theology. It will open a window to God's will for our day, practically speaking, as few other biblical writings.

IX. BRIEF OUTLINE OF 1 CORINTHIANS

A. Introduction 1 Cor. 1:1-9

1. Greeting, 1 Cor. 1:1-3

2. Thanksgiving, 1 Cor. 1:4-9

B. Reported problems at Corinth, 1 Cor. 1:10-6:20

1. Factions within the church because of the misunderstanding of Christian leadership's (i.e., , Paul, Apollos, Peter) motives and message, 1 Cor. 1:10-4:12